Autographic register



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

G. MoG. MORRIS.

AUTOGRAPHIG REGISTER.

No. 542,091. Patented July 2, 1895.

(No Modlw) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

G..MOG. MORRIS. AUTOGRAPHIG REGISTER. No. 542,091. Patented July 2, 1895.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE MCG. MORRIS, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

AUTOGRAPHIC REGISTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 542,091, dated July 2, 1895. V

Application filed December 11, 1893. Serial No. 493,447. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE MoG. MORRIS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cincinnati, Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Autographic Registers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to autographic registers, and is in the nature of an improvement upon that for which Letters Patent No. 508,552 were issued to me and No. 508,553 to myself and R. L. Stokes, jointly, on November 14:, 1893. i

The present improvement has relation to the construction of'the casing and the combination therewith of a removable drawer for filed slips and the construction and action of the machine in respect to the cutting and filing functions; and it consists, first, in a casing secured to a base and provided with a hinged,

or removable back to afford convenient access to the paper-rolls for removing and replacing same; second, in the combination, with the casing and the filing mechanism, of a removable drawer for receivingthe filed slips; third, in a partition dividing the rear portion of the casing containing the rolls from the front portion containing the filed slips; fourth, in the combination, with the feed-rolls, of

auxiliary bars or small rolls in a GO-OPBIELtlVQ arrangement, whereby the curl of the paper strip is removed; fifth, in an improved spring and its arrangement in co-operative action with the movable cutter as the contactpoint of the cutting-edges moves from heel'to point of the cutting-blades; sixth, in an improved construction of the dividing-bar and the combination therewith of a pivoted extension held normally in such relations with the edge of the fixed cutteras to insure the outward passage of the duplicate strip; seventh, in a system and arrangement of guides for the inner strip and a co-operative arrangement of the same in relation to the filingarm, whereby the retained memoranda are filed with greater uniformity, certainty, and neatness.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a vertical longitudinal section of the device complete, showing the construction of the casing with reference to the hinged back, the removable drawer, the filing-arm,

and the partition. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the front of the casing with the drawer partially opened. Fig. 3 is a detail side elevation of the casin g, partially sectioned, showing particularly the dispensing-rolls,frictionbars, cutting apparatus, knife, spring, (Incl Fig- 4 is a detail elevation showing an intermediate portion of the knife-spring. Fig. 5 is a detail cross-section of the feed-out rolls, cutters, and guide apparatus. Fig. 6 is a plan of the cutting and guide apparatus; Fig. 7, a detail plan of the side clamps.

The device, in relation to which mypresent invention is in the nature of an improvement, consists of a containing-receptacle for the dispensing-rolls, cutting mechanism, and filing mechanism, the top of which casing is utilized as a writing-tablet over which the paper strips are drawn in their outward passage byrneans of feed-out rolls arranged at the forward end of the tablet. Between these rolls the paper strips are passed downward at opposite sides of a dividing-bar, immediately beneath which the cutting apparatus performs its function. Beneath the cutting apparatus the front side of the casing constitutes, practically, an extension of the dividing-bar and a guidingshield for the outward strip. One peculiarity of this type of autographic registers is in the arrangement of the dispensing-rolls at the back part of the casing and the filing of the severed slips at the front part.

With a view of facilitating the removal or replacing of dispensingrolls and enhancing the usefulness of the machine as an article of general use in stores and elsewhere, my present invention introduces the changes of structure herewith detailed.

The casing A is substantially the same as in said former patents described, but is permanently secured to the base A. To afford convenient access to the dispensing-rolls, I make the back plate A of the machine removable. The preferred. construction is to hinge the same to the side walls near the base, as shown in Fig. 1, so as to swing outward.

It is held in place by thumb'screws s, inserted in the edges of the rear plate, passing into open slots 3' of the side walls over which the heads of the thumb-screws engage, so that upon loosening them the backplate swings outward and backward, exposing the rear interior. I also combine with the register a filing-drawer D, entering from the front of the machine, the front of the drawer constituting the lower front of the casing. The filing-arm F acts to throw the slips one upon another in the drawer, which may be withdrawn as desired. A look of any suitable character holds the drawer in place. In connection withthese, and to prevent access to the drawer from the rear, I may introduce a fixed partition P, completely separating the front from the rearof the casing. All thesev are .constructed in any suitable manner and require no detailed description.

It is found in practice that, as the feed-rolls become somewhat exhausted and the set or curl of the paper more pronounced, the outer strip sometimes passes from the feedout rolls inside of the shield at the front of the machine instead of outside, and the inner strip also then presents too pronounced a curl for the proper action of the filing apparatus. A further trouble is sometimes experienced in the action of the cutting-shears when a little dulled, by reason of the imperfect action of the guide-slot em ployed as a means of retaining the cutting-edge of the movable shear inproper relation to the fixed shear as the cut progressed across the paper strip. To remedy these defects and improve the device in other respects, I have introduced the following changes: The dispensing-rolls B (one or more) are oppositely arranged from the usual mode-that is, to unwind in a direction away from instead of toward the operator and provide cross-pins or rolls a of very small diameter over which the strips are passed with the object of turning the direction of the strips backward at a somewhat acute angle as they pass the tablet T. The dispensingrolls being provided with resistancebrakes,the pull upon the paper by the feeding-out rolls 1) b is sufficient to take the curl out of the paper. As the resistance of the dispensing-roll brake remains a fixed quantity, the tension upon the paper necessary to draw it forward increases in proportion to the decrease of leverage as the roll diminishes in size, so that the stronger tension acts upon the greater curl in the paper.

In the arrangement of the devices for cutting and separating the paper strips a dividing-bar c is interposed in the path of the out,- going strips immediately below the feed-out rolls 1). The fixed cutting-shear d is arranged below and sufficiently in front of the dividingbar 0 to allow the outer strip to pass by, and below the path of the movable shear d is arranged the upper edge of the shield e, (constituting the front of the casing) by which the outer strip is diverted outward of the machine. To effectually prevent the outer strip from passing inside the shield e, I have devised a pivoted extensionf of the dividingbar, one of whose functions is to close the gap between the lower edge of the dividingbar a and upper edge of the. shield e, This extension f is pivoted in and between the op-- posite sides of the casing, so that its upper edge swings immediately below the fixed dividing-bar o, and is held normally in vertical line with said bar in the position shown in and thereby, as the shear d moves' outward,

it shoves out of its way the pivoted extension, against the force of its spring 8, into the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5, so as not to interfere with the cutting action of the shears. When the shear moves back, the pivotal extension f is restored to initial position by its spring and becomes practically .a part of the dividing-bar below the plane of the cut.

I avail myself of the presence and action of the pivotal extension fto accomplish a further improvement, namely: to insure the passage of the severed inner memorandum-slip to proper position for action of the filing apparatus. I attach to the pivotal extension two curved guidefingers g, extending in paral lel relations rearwardly in the path of the inner slip. These fingers guide the .slip rearwardly beneath the filing-arm F, and when the pivotal extensionfis oscillated forward, as above described, the guide-fingers g are raised up into the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5, which movement insures the proper position of the paper slip in approximate contact and parallel relations with the filing-arm, Fig.1, so that the action of the filing-arm B may be perfect and uniform. I do not herein show the mechanism for operating the filing-arm F, as it forms no part of my present invention. It is only necessary to explain that the filing-arm F has the pivotal action and the familiar function of such arms as commonly used in printing-presses and in like situations. The resistance upon the shears in cutting through two or more sheets of paper is, of course, increased as the cutting-edges becomedulled, and to overcome the tendency of this resistance to spring the cutters apart vertically and allow the paper to pass uncut between them I provide a means of holding the lower shear to its work by a pressure varying'with the leverage-that is to say, a pressure increasing as the moving point of contact between the edges of the shears approaches the point at which said pressure is applied. The fixed cutter d is secured athwart the casing horizontally, and the movable cutter is pivoted at one end to the fixed cutter and stands-in normally open relationstherewith at a rearward angle and the paper slips pass downward between two. As the movable cutter is drawn toward, the point of contact of the cutting-edges moves across the strip, and it has been found difficult to hold the cuttingedges together at the movable point of contact with a pressure such as to insure at all times a proper cut of two or more thicknesses of paper. To accomplish this desirable result, I attach outside of the casingA,beneath the projecting end of the movable cuttingblade 61 a spring h, formed and arranged as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The spring h prelinal stage of compression as the cutter d is,

nearing the end of its travel. By the horizontal movement of the cutter d in the initial stages of contact with the spring, thelat ter is gradually forced to the second position shown, in which, at about mid-length, itcomes in resting-contact with the stud i, and at its forward end against a stud or projection is, and a further progress of the cutter compresses the spring at its forward bight only, where its resistance is greatest. It will thus be seen that as thecutter moves forward the pressure of the spring against it greatly increases and becomes relatively strongest toward the close of its movement, where, by reason of the shorter leverage of the cuttingarm, greater pressure is required.

A further improvement has reference to the means for securing the covering-frame G to the writing-tablet. Instead of utilizing the downward wedgiug action of the side flanges of the covering-frame G over and against the sides of the casing as a means of holding the carbon strip or strips in position, a construction requiring niceties of fit not conveniently attainable in practice, I offset the flanges of the frame (has shown at g, Fig. 7, and swivel to the ends of the holdingscrews M plates m. These bring the pressure of the holding-screws to bear over a con siderable surface of the carbon strip or strips, and thus they. are positively held in position at all times, while the function of the holdingscrews in relation to the frame remains unimpaired.

I claim as my invention- 1. In an autographic register, the combination with a fixed cutting shear and a movable shear pivoted to and co-operating withrthe fixed shear, of the independent spring guide h arranged at an inclination across the path of the movable shear and adapted to hold said movable shear in proper cutting relation with the fixed sheanunder a pressure that increases as the movable shear nears the end of its travel, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination with the fixed shear and the movable shear, of the independent spring guide it secured at an inclination across the path of the outward extension of said movable shear and adapted to resist its forward movemen t by an upward and increasing pressure, substantially as set forth.

3. In combination with the movable cutting bar moving in under relations with the fixed cutting bar, the spring, h, formed as described, the holding stud, 17, and the guide stud,j, substantially as set forth.

4. In an autographic register, the combination with the feed-out rolls, the fixed dividing bar 0, the cutting shears, and the shield c, of the pivoted extension f adapted to normally close the gap between the lower edge of said dividing bar and the upper edge of the shield and extended across the path of the movable cutting shear in position to be operated by said movable shear to swing out of the way in cutting, substantially as set forth.

5. In an autographic register, the combination of the feed-out rolls, the fixed dividing bar 0 immediately below said rolls, the fixed cuttingshear cl below and in front of said dividing bar, the movable shear d having one end pivoted to the fixed shear, the shield e, and the pivoted extension f normally extended across the path of the movable cutting shear, between the lower edge of the fixed dividing bar and the upper edge of the shield e, the said pivoted extension f being operated by the movable cutting shear, substantially as set forth.

6. In an autographic register, the combination with the cutting mechanism, the filing arm, the feed-out rolls, and the fixed dividing bar, ofa pivotal extension of said bar pro vided with a rearwardly extended guide adapted to receive the filing slip when severed by the cutting mechanism and raise the same into close relation with the filing arm preparatory to the action of the latter, substantially as set forth.

7. In an autographic register, the combination with the cutting devices and filing mechanism, of guide fingers attached to. a pivotal support operated from the cutting mechanism and adapted to receive the filing slip when severed and raise the same into close relation with the filing mechanism preparatory to the action of the latter, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereofI have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE MCG. MORRIS.

Witnesses:

L. M. HOSEA, LANDON FREYBLER. 

